Morning, y'all! Lots to say, so here goes...
Chelsea, I am so proud of you!
WTG!!! You rocked it, mama. I loved reading your report. I can't tell you how many times I've said the same thing to myself when racing... it's like, when do I think I'm going to speed up and try to pass people? On a training run?
I am already excited for you for this weekend and hope that the weather is more cooperative.
Elizabeth, WOW! Awesome time, awesome report as well! Congrats on the 2nd in age group, and that is some nice hardware you brought home. I have to admit I was a little envious as I read your report, especially the cycling portion. I'd like to test myself against others on the bike. Now if I would just do something about those swim lessons! Can I ask you a couple of questions about the whole tri process? For the swim/bike transition, do you dry off / is it hard to put on shoes and socks when you are wet? In transition, is it roomy or are you right up against other people, and how do you manage your stuff (like if you are taking off goggles or shoes or whatnot, do you stick them in a bag, or fling them
)? I watched Ironmans on TV as a kid but it's been a long time and I wasn't paying attention to such details back then.
Lisa, OUCH about your thighs. Speedy healing vibes to you. Sounds like you had a great run, though.
Monikita, thank you for your poop support. Maybe the DDDDC goddess will pass you by (it's possible to have multiple DDDDCs, though, isn't it?). Anyway, your words were right on, my biggest fear though is that some unsuspecting person will check on me to see if I am OK and they will, how shall we say, have a negative olfactory experience. I would wish for the ground to open up and swallow me right then and there.
This weekend was a turning point of sorts for me. I actually didn't run or bike once.
But, I worked my tail off around the house. I think it may not be a coincidence that everything on my to-do list (plus many things that never got written on the list) got crossed off EXCEPT for the 18 miles of running and the bike ride. I've really been neglecting the house and to some extent, Emma Kate. Throw in some fear and nervousness about my unpredictable intestines and there you have it.
I also made a decision. I'm still going to run the marathon, but I'm bailing on the Pfitz plan and moving to
Higdon's Intermediate I (I'm sorry Lisa!). I have been intimidated by Pfitz from the start, and it's just too much to run for example 8 on Tuesday and 10 on Thursday (and I wasn't even 1/4 of the way into the plan, so it was only gonna get worse). It's making me late to work, leaves me no cushion if EK needs me in the morning, etc. etc. Katie - you tried to tell me, and I should have listened then,
but...
During May and part of June when things with DH were at their worst, I shifted all my energy and drive to exercise. I wanted to be out of the house as much as possible. Now that things are better, my priorities have changed. Plus, this is a busy time of year for us... EK's birthday (i.e. my time to play cake decorator), a week at the beach in October, and just still lots to be done at home. I think this training plan will fit my needs better. It still allows for two 20 milers, but the highest midweek mileage day is 8 and I don't even hit that for 6 more weeks. Pfitz also called for 3 tune up races of at least 10K, and I would have had to travel to do those, which was gonna be hard and expensive.
So, there you have it. My goals for the week:
Monday: cross train - ride bike to/from work - check!
Tuesday: 3 easy, possibly bike to work
Wednesday: 6
Thursday: 3 easy, possibly bike to work
Friday: rest
Saturday: 6 at marathon race pace
Sunday: 11
Hey, those 3 milers make it possible for me to ride to work... sweet!
I feel relieved. I am stoked about everything that I accomplished over the weekend: baked two loaves of bread, made 2 kinds of pickles, parboiled and froze squash, made squash casserole, tied up the tomatoes in the garden, bushwhacked crazy giant weeds in flower garden and discovered new wild blackberry bushes
, cleaned stacks of stuff out of bay window, did laundry, sorted mail, went grocery shopping, swapped out EK's toys, organized playroom, went through tons of boxes in Mom and Dad's basement and got lots of my old toys and books for EK... I haven't been this productive in a long time. But... I also spent some good time playing and reading with EK, including sobbing while reading her the Velveteen Rabbit and then having to explain why Mama is so sensitive AND that none of EK's toys are going to get "fired" (burned).
I have more I want to say, but goodness this is getting LONG. Feel free to skip, but I just want to get this off my chest:
Dear Lady at the Gym who also Happens to be a Teller at my Bank,
After I have just ridden my bike to work, it disturbs me to see you run the shower in the locker room for 5 minutes before you even get in. Furthermore, the locker room is not your personal bathroom. During those 5 minutes while your shower is "warming up", is it really necessary to snag a spot at the mirror/sink by laying out your multitude of beauty products? Others might like to use that space while you are still in the shower. You've already claimed the only shower that has a little shelf on the wall outside of it - and spread your stuff out on that shelf, so do you really also need to mark your territory by the sink? Also, on rainy mornings? Others might like to get into the locker room without having to climb around your ginormous golf umbrella that you place, opened, in the walkway. And finally, may I suggest a slightly different treadmill technique? Walking with 100% of your body weight on your arms which are on the side rails isn't terribly effective, and is less so when you stop on average every 3 minutes (I counted once) to push buttons, fiddle with your music player, wipe sweat, push other buttons, take a drink, fiddle with anything else that can be fiddled with, push more buttons, adjust your clothes, and push more buttons.
Love,
Your Gym Mate
OK so I promise I am really not a mean and evil person, but this has been going on a long time with this lady. I actually think she's probably a pretty nice person, but she just seems oblivious to the fact that her world intersects with the worlds of others. And the locker room is small - this is not a full size gym. Think public restroom with showers thrown in.
OK the length of this post must be ridiculous. This is what happens when I don't post for 2 days!
:
:
And yet-we need to go-we are also going to the pool - you would think that would be fun (it is- she loves it) but doesn't understand yet the concept of that is WHY she needs to get into the car...
She's just getting so big.
: Feeling very pissy, don't feel like doing anything, and grumpy because it is so freakin hot. And only going to get worse before it gets better. Next week we are at the beach. Hopefully it isn't this hot then. We are camping and I would rather it isn't this hot then!
No need to spread the bad vibes.
and 
everyone! i'm running here and there. no race in store yet, but hopefully this fall...
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